Camping outfit



June 26, 1923.

A. J. LEWIS CAMPING OUTFIT 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed July 25. 1921 INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 26, 1923.

A. J. LEWIS CAMPING OUTFIT Filed July 25 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I AONE Patented June 26, 1923.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR J. LEWIS, OF STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT.

CAMPING OUTFIT.

Application filed July 25, 1921.

To'all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. Lnwrs,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Stratford, county of F airfield, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Camping Outfits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to camping outfits and has for an object to provide an outfit which is adapted to be folded into a small space so that the same may be conveniently carried in an automobile. It is also an object of the invention to provide an outfit of this type which may be set up within the automobile with the supports therefor resting upon the usual seat cushion supports. It is a further object of this invention to provide a cabinet adapted to contain a foldable bed and support for one end thereof when the bed is not in use, and which is also adapted to provide a support for the other end of the bed when it is in use. It is a still further object ofthe invention to provide a cabinet in which will also be carried supplies, as food and a small cooking stove, and so forth. It is a further object of the invention to provide an outfit of this type which will be simple in construction comprising comparatively few parts, which may. be easily set up and taken down and which when set up will be rigid and reliable.

lVith these and other objects in view I. have devised the outfit illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the cabinet;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the cabinet showing the bed support, however, in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the outline of an automobile showing my outfit in the position in which it is to be carried therein and also when set up for use;

Fig. 5 is a partial plan viewof the canvas bed' Fig. 6 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 7 is a plan' of the foldable support for one end of the bed;

Fig. 8 is an elevation thereof;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the support looking from the right of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a perspective of a detail of the foldable support; p

Figs. 11 and 12 are detailed sectional views of certain of the connections between the elements of this support; and

Serial No. 487,507.

Fig. 13 is a detailed View ofthe support for a seat at one end of the cabinet.

The cabinet 1 isconstructed preferably of wood and comprises a rectangular box having ends 2 and 3 and sides a and 5. The top comprises a permanent immovable section 6 and a hinged section 7 secured to the inner edge of the section 6 by means of hinges 8, so arranged that this section 7 may be turned down to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3 to form acontinuation of section 6 and to complete a fiat top for the cabinet, or

may be folded back upon the section 6, as

indicated in full lines. This section 7 carries the supports for one end of the foldable bed which, when the section is turned back on top of section 6, will bring the bed supports into exposed position on the top of the cabinet, but when turned down to the dotted line position will conceal these supports within a compartment of the cabinet. Thebed supports on the section 7 comprise two spaced strips 9 and 10, strip 10 being provided with araised portion 11 having a recess 12 in the top thereof adapted to receive the central bed rod. Between the ends of the strips 9 and 10. are two pivoted bracket arms 12 and 13. These are pivoted to the strips 9 and 10 by means of a bolt 14 and may be re tained in extended position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 by means of a removable pin 15 passing through the bracket arm and the two strips 9 and 10. These arms, after the pin 15 is removed, may be turned to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 between the two strips and within the confines of the cabinet,and may be secured therein by insertion of the pin 15 through holes 16 in strips 9 and 10, this pin also passing through a notch or recess 17 in the ends of arms 12 i and 13 to retain them in this folded position to prevent them dropping down into the compartment in the cabinet when the cover section 7 is turned down to the dotted line position, shown in Fig. 3. 1

Extending downwardly from adjacent the inner edge of section 6 and between the ends of the cabinet is a vertical partition 18 which, however, stops short of the bottom of the cabinet at19. 21 extend from this vertical partition to sides a and 5 and form the bottoms of the compartments 22 and 23. It will be noted that the compartment 22 may be closed by the Bottom boards 20 and section 7 and access may be gained to compartment 23 by means of an opening 24 in side wall 5 closed by means of a door 25. This door is hinged at its lower edge and has pivoted slotted bracket arms 26 adapted to hold it in horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3, to provide a convenient shelf, and it may be secured in closed position by any suitable latch 27. The sides 4 and 5 and the vertical partition 18 are secured to the ends 2 and 3 by means of suitable nailing strips 28.

Below the bottom of the compartment 23 and set inwardly from the lower edge of side 5, which edge it will be noted from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3 is spaced a considerable distance above the bottom of the cabinet, is an inclined board 29 forming the back wall of a compartment 30, the front wall 4 being provided with an opening 31 preferably extending throughout its entire length to allow access to this compartment and to provide convenient means for the insertion of the bed and: its foldable support into this compartment. As the wall '29 is set inwardly from the outer surface of the rear wall 5, a recess or open sided compartment 32 is provided which allows more room for the feet of the rear seat passengers when the cabinet is carried at the rear of the forward seat, as indicated at A, Fig. 4, in an automobile having a short distance between the front and rear seats.

Suitable handles 33 are provided at the ends of the cabinet and extend substantially the entire width thereof. These handles are narrower on the sides next to the walls to form a V-shaped recess 34 at the top thereof to provide a convenient support for one end of a detachable seat 35, one end of this seat being provided with one or more straps 36 secured to the under side thereof and bent downwardly at an angle as at 37 and then extended over the end of the seat and secured thereto. The angle at 37 is adapted to rest in the recess 34, and suitably hinged to the other end of the seat 35 is a leg 38 which supports it when the seat is in position but when removed may be folded against the seat in an obvious manner. These seats have another function which will presently be described.

The bed: proper is a. very simple device made up in the present instance of three bars or pipes 39 and 40, each bar being formed of two or more sections detachably secured together so that they may be taken down and inserted within the compartment 30 in the cabinet. Each section, of course, must be of a length less than the length of the cabinet if it is to be carried therein, but may be secured together when in use by any suitable means, such for instance, as a coupling 41 having threaded engagement with the opposed ends of two adjacent sections, these sections in the present embodiment being merely lengths of standard pipe. It will be obvious other means of connection may be employed or telescopic sections may be used. Extending between the outer bed supports is the bed: proper comprising a piece of canvas or other suitable woven material 42. I prefer to form this element by folding over the two ends at 43 and stitching parallel with the folded edge at 44 and then folding over the longitudinal edges at 45 and again stitching at 46. This prevents ravelling and also gives a much stronger structure at the ends of the canvas section 42. The longitudinal sides are stitched at 46 some distance from the edge to provide loops 47 for insertion of the side supporting members 39.

The other end of the bed from that supported by the cabinet when in use, is supported by a folding support 48 shown in Figs. 7 to 12, inclusive. This support is made up almost entirely of flat bars of steel and comprises two spaced legs 49 bent at substantially their mid sections, as shown in Fig. 8, and are provided at their lower ends with feet 50 bent at substantially right angles thereto. Pivoted adjacent to the lower ends of these legs at 5,1 are two middle braces 52 which are pivoted together adjacent their upper ends at 53. Pivoted adjacent the upper ends of these braces at 54 are top braces 55 and 56, the brace 55 extending from the pivot 54 to a point 57 on one of the middle braces and past the other middle brace to which it is removably at tached by a rivet, as shown in Fig. 11. This rivet is secured in either one of the elements 55 or 52 and has an enlarged head 58 extending through a hole in the other element. The rivet is permanently secured in place but the element embracing the large head 58 may be easily removed therefrom. The brace 56 is made up of two sections 59 and 60 pivoted respectively to the other leg 49-and middle brace 52 at the point 57. They are also pivoted together between these points at 61 and one of them is bent over at one edge at 62 to format stop bearing against the upper edge of the other section when the support is set up. When the bed is taken down this support must be contracted sufficiently to be inserted through the opening 31 into the compartment 30 of the cabinet. The elements are, therefore, made detachable at point 57. The connection at this point is disclosed in Fig. 12 and comprises a screw 63 suitably fastened in one of the elements as 60 and extending loosely through the other two elements and is provided with a wing nut 64 by which the elements may be clamped together. By re moval of this nut 64 the members maybe disconnected.

In setting up, the outside bars 39 are in serted in the loops 47 at the longitudinal edges of the canvas 42 and one Ofthe'se bars at its opposite ends is placed in therecess in the arm 12, extended, of the cabinet and the recess 65 in the upper end of the leg 49 shown at the left in Fig. 8 of the foldable support. I The toggle formed by the members 59 and 60 being broken, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, one end of the opposite bar 39 is placed in the recess 65 in the upper end of the other leg 49. By pressing downwardly on either of the members 59 or 60, the toggle may be straightened stretchingthe canvas as is obvious. The other end of this bar 29 is-placed in the recess in the end of the arm-13while it is raised somewhat as shown in the dotted line position in Fig, 2 and it is then forced downwardly to the full line position and secured therein by the insertion of the pin 15. This operation will stretch the other end of the canvas. The central portion ofthe can vas may be supported by the bar 40 placed in position either before or after the cancas is stretched, one end of this bar resting in the recess 12on the cabinet and the other in the fork 66 formed by the upper endsof the middle braces 52.

It will be apparent that as the cabinet is of considerable thickness transversely, as shown in Fig. 3, it will have a secure footing on its support which will preventthe bed when set up from falling lengthwise. The bed may be set up-either on the ground as within a tent or upon the seats of an automobile, as shown in F ig. 4. When set up in an automobile, the cabinet preferably rests upon the support for the.

rear seat cushion, as shown at B in Fig. 4, the cushion being removed, and the foldable support 48 resting on the forward seat immediately in front of the back cushion thereof, the seat cushion 67 being moved forwardly to allow room therefor, as also shown in Fig. 4. The supports for the bed, both those on the cabinet and the folding support 48, may engage the supporting bars 39 and 40 anywhere throughout their lengths so it may be set up in any sized car without adjustment. When not in use as a support for the bed, the section 7 of the top of the cabinet is folded down to dotted line position in Fig. 3 thus forming a smooth continuous top which is adapted for use as a' table, and as the door 25 is in the side of the compartment 23 access may be gained to this compartment while this table is set, the door 25 providing a convenient shelf. The seats 35 may also be placed in position at the ends of the cabinet.

In some cars, especially Ford cars, the frame for the rear seat has an opening therein which is wider than the cabinet, and it is, therefore, necessary to provide an additional support bridging the opening between the sides of this frame. The seats 35 are used for this purpose and are shown in it will be apparent the cabinet presents a neat appearance with practically no projections on the outer walls thereof and occupies comparatively little space when placed within the automobile as indicated at A in Fig. 4. It will also be apparent the device is simple in construction and may be easily and when desired.

.Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:.

v1. A camping outfit comprising 'afoldable bed, a cabinet provided with a top. havingza plurality of sections, one of said sec tions being hinged to the cabinet, supports for one end of'the bed secured to said hinged section, said section being mounted so that it may be swung to bring the supportsto operative position or to a concealed position within the cabinet at will, and a foldablesupport independent of the cabinet for the other end of the bed, said cabinet also provided with a compartment adapted to receive the bed and the foldable support when not in use.

2. A camping outfit comprising a foldablebed including side members, a fabric body member and means for securing the body member to the side members, a foldable support for one end of the bed, and a cabinet provided with supports for the other end of the bed, one of said supports being pivoted and adapted to receive one of the side members and then forced into permanent stretching action on the body member, said cabinet being provided with a compartment to receive the bed and foldable support when not in use.

3. A camping outfit comprising a foldable bed including side members, a fabric quickly set up or taken down supporting position with a body member and means for securing the body member to the side members, a foldable support for one end of the bed and including a toggle for stretching the same,

stretching action on the body member, said cabinet being provided with a compartment to receive the bed and foldable support when not in use.

4c. In a camping outfit a cabinet provided with a top composed of a plurality of seclatter compartment when the section is in position to cover said compartment, and said section adapted to be folded on top of the stationary section to move the bed supports to operative position on'top of a cabinet.

6. In a camping outfit a cabinet, partitions therein dividing the interior into compar'tments, a top for the cabinet comprising a stationary section covering one compartment and a hinged section covering the other compartment, bed supports carried by the hinged section and adapted to be transferred thereby from a concealed position within the cabinet to an operative position on the top thereof, and a hinged door for the side of the other compartment to allow access thereto and forming a shelf when open.

7. In a camping outfit a cabinet, a top for said cabinet including a hinged section, bed supports carried by said hinged section and adapted to be transferred thereby from a position within the cabinet to an operative position on the top thereof, said supports comprising a' plurality of bracket arms pivoted on the said section adjacent the ends thereof and movable from inoperative positions between their pivots to operative positions outside thereof.

8. A camping outfit comprising a folding bed including side supporting memsecuring the body member to the side members, a foldable support for one end of the bed, a cabinet having a compartment adapted to-receive the bed and'foldable support when not in use, a top for said cabinet including a hinged section, and bed supports carried by said hinged section and adapted to be transferred thereby from a position within the cabinet to an operative position on the top thereof, said supports for the ends of the bed being constructed to retain the three supporting members in spaced relation.

9. An automobile camping outfit comprising a foldable bed, a cabinet adapted to be supported upon a seat of an automobile, a top for said cabinet including 'a hinged section, bed supports carried by said hinged section and adapted to be transferred there by from a position within the cabinet to an operative position on the top thereof, and a folding support for the other end of the bed adapted to be supported upon the other seat of the automobile, the two supports being of suflicient height to sustain the bed above the back of the forward seat, and said cabinet being provided with a compartment for containing the members of the bed when not in use.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ARTHUR J. LEWIS. 

